Gmail just got an update to version 4.8, an update that brings with it some refreshing UI changes, and a few other features too. First, we'll take a look at the UI tweaks.

First up, the pull-to-refresh animation has been brought into line with the Google Search app - it now cycles through Google's red, yellow, blue, and green brand colors rather than using a simple blue animation. The length of swipe necessary to trigger a refresh has also been shortened.

Like Google's other in-house apps, Gmail has ripped Settings, Help, and Feedback from the overflow menu and put them in the sliding navigation drawer.

Left: before, Right: after

Gmail also has a richer profile switcher now - the navigation drawer has switched from radio buttons to account avatars to represent your various Gmail accounts.

Additionally, the no-content screens have been updated - if you don't have any spam messages, or if your search results come up empty, you'll see friendlier messages and graphics than the old "no conversations" string.

There are also a few other "empty" string variations for the inbox, trash, or general folders:

Here are the happy images from trash, inbox, and folders, respectively:

One larger feature in the 4.8 update is the ability to either directly print attachments or save them to your Google Drive account.

Gmail will also display warnings properly - for example, if a filter you've created stopped a message from being sent to spam when it otherwise would be, that information will show up in a yellow box at the top of the message.

Finally, (FINALLY!) Gmail will show you the rest of truncated messages. Previously, a message that was too long would be truncated, with no way to view the entire text of the message through the app. Now, users can choose to see the whole thing.

Previously, if a user received a message with an inline image, long press icons were limited to "help," and "send feedback," but now users can view the image by itself, rather than inside the message pane.

There's also a new shortcut to Google account management (normally accessed from the settings app).

In Gmail's previous iteration, there was a bug that affected loading attached images. Previously, the image wouldn't show up, and instead the user was faced with a black screen (no progress indication) until the attachment loaded and the user hit back and clicked again. It appears this bug is fixed, but we aren't completely sure yet.

According to a post on the official Gmail Google+ page, there's also enhanced support for languages that don't read left-to-right, and the navigation bar can be accessed from inside a message, instead of only being accessible from the main view.

To wrap up, there are a few strings of interest hiding inside the APK that explain to users why a message is in spam and what it means if a message looks suspicious.

<string name="profile_email_forced_spam_label">Why is this message in Spam? &lt;b>%1$s&lt;/b> cannot reach you via your Google+ profile at this time.</string>

<string name="forged_and_phishy_simple">Be careful with this message. This message may not have been sent by: &lt;b>%1$s&lt;/b>.</string>

<string name="sender_is_a_known_spammer_spf_domain">"Why is this message in Spam? We've found that lots of messages from &lt;b>%2$s&lt;/b> are spam."</string>

<string name="sender_is_a_known_spammer_dkim_domain">"Why is this message in Spam? We've found that lots of messages from &lt;b>%2$s&lt;/b> are spam."</string>

<string name="with_option_unsubscribe">Why is this message in Spam? You tried to unsubscribe from this sender but they continued to send you email, so new messages are put directly in Spam to keep them out of your inbox.</string>

<string name="no_option_unsubscribe">"Why is this message in Spam? You tried to unsubscribe from this sender but they didn't provide a way to do that, so new messages are put directly in Spam to keep them out of your inbox."</string>

<string name="looks_suspicious">"Be careful with this message. It contains content that's typically used to steal personal information."</string>

APK Download

The APK is signed by Google and upgrades your existing app. The cryptographic signature guarantees that the file is safe to install and was not tampered with in any way. Rather than wait for Google to push this download to your devices, which can take days, download and install it just like any other APK.

Comments

I noticed you didn't show screenshots of an empty inbox... but I guess that may not be technically feasible. ;)

http://AndroidPolice.com/ Liam Spradlin

Yeah those are pretty rare around these parts :P

yihtang

It is possible.. create a new label, switch to it and you shall see it :)

Guest

So... guess what. Haha

Aditya Siddharth

Still no way to see only unread messages (which exists on iOS)

tyguy829

Search for is:unread

Aditya Siddharth

Sure but not the same as having that as a menu option, especially when it exists on the iOS app

Sam Del Valle

Guessing 5.0 will be that snazzy new Gmail that's been leaked. I/O needs to come sooner

Taylor00

I fucking hope not. That thing is horrid.

Alberto Blasi

No, it's not.

Taylor00

Cool story bro.

Harold JP Castro

Still no support for mailing lists :(

http://www.androidpolice.com/ Artem Russakovskii

I am so ecstatic truncated messages are now viewable, I can't even convey it.

Eduardo

That status bar is driving me crazy!! how can you go through life living like that??!!!

http://www.androidpolice.com/ Artem Russakovskii

As I said on G+, ain't nobody got time for checking notifications when a Gmail update hits.

Crispin Swickard

Since I will never have this happen. What happens if both sides of the status bar icons meet...?

simp1istic

Right part of the Left side gets truncated with an icon

http://AndroidPolice.com/ Liam Spradlin

Believe me, posting these screenshots was painful for me. I imagine Artem's phones get about 2 hours of battery life with the constant vibrating and noise-making they probably do.

slurivariv

My status bar normally looks JUST like it. For reference, I normally have 20+ (at least 2 days a week, 40+) tabs open at once in Chrome.

ssj4Gogeta

On mobile Chrome? o.O
I currently have 32 tabs on laptop Chrome (and another 52 on Firefox) but on mobile I hardly ever use 5-6.

slurivariv

Oh heavens no! Mobile gets MAYBE 5.

silaslenz

My mobile chrome currently has 22 tabs. The notifications are totally empty though.

Stacey Liu

They seemed to have added a bounce animation to the top of the list for pull to refresh (like iOS).

I could have sworn that wasn't there before.

Phil Oakley

Same pull to refresh as Search/Now uses.

nycebo

100% agreed. The attachment image loading bug has driven me insane with the loading, backing out, and trying to load again process. Completely hope that it is resolved.

http://byazrov.ru/ RussianPhotographer

is viewing large images as attachments still big pain in the ass?

http://www.androidpolice.com/ Artem Russakovskii

You mean the bug where they'd load blank? It looks sorted to me, though it'll take some time to confirm for sure.

Kaemo

It also uses the new Google Pull to Refresh animation. It has a rubberband effect along with the Refresh line in 4 colors.

Looks good!

ithehappy

Can you turn off sodding conversation view now? Is there a sent email notifier now? No I suppose. Best of luck Google.

Jesús Cuenca

And where is the "mark as read" in the notification box? :c

PhineasJW

Those screenshots look like CIA documents released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Couldn't you find something ... unsensitive™ ... in your Inbox? :)

http://www.androidpolice.com/ Artem Russakovskii

Not if I want to spend another half an hour on this when time is of the essence.

Walkop

Time is of the essence…?
#spoilers

Jephri

That is why every other Android blog is an afterthought for me. News breaks first and is written the best on Android Police

Dr Amit

When will we get dark theme ?????

Alberto Blasi

probably never?

Stanley C.

Why google do not have often updates in Google Mail app like GMail app?

I really like AOSP Mail, but it need some refresh like gmail...

Jason Rittenhouse

they should just merge the two so that non-gmail email is accessed in the same app as gmail

Mystery Man

ಠ_ಠ

O’s Fan91

Stock Nxus 5 wont open the mirrors :(

http://AndroidPolice.com/ Liam Spradlin

You mean it won't open the downloaded file? Try using a file manager. Sometimes the stock downloads app has issues with file names containing special characters.

Sam

I'm having the same issue, the install button doesn't work

RichHomieGuan

when can google merge the stock gmail app with the stock email app... it just seems so damn redundant to have TWO mail apps but then again there are many redundancies Google does stock... TWO photo apps anyone?

Adrien Assadian

This app is for Gmail, I use the other one for outlook & co. So it's pretty useful.
Agree about the photo apps though.

Daire O Connor

Probably because they don't want people using their Hotmail through their Gmail app and vice versa for Gmail in a plain email app. The photo and gallery how ever is ridonculous alright.

psy_spy

You don't have a dummy gmail account for testing purposes? You wouldn't need to blur the pics.
I work in one of the top phone manufacturing companies. We have lots of phone for testing, all loaded with dummy accounts.(Almost all apps are installed.) We have to test all apps after they update. I sometimes "test" a game even if there are no major changes.

http://www.androidpolice.com/ Artem Russakovskii

I don't bother, no. Real email is a lot more varied than any tests and lets us have a nice natural sampling.

Crispin Swickard

And as usual when new Gmail features pop up, when can we get these on email? :( I hope they get it on the store sooner than later.

Matthew Merrick

Next version of AOSP

Crispin Swickard

Typically, but not necessarily. I wish they would toss it on the the Play store like rumored months ago, and be done with it.

MyLeftNut

Only one thing really has kept me from loving the Gmail app. All other features and fixes, I can wait for but the inability to delete select emails in a conversation was the straw for me. Sometimes I have conversations that are like 20-25 emails deep but there's only one or two I want to keep because they contain important info or guides. Gmail doesn't allow me to do that so I jumped shipped the minute Mailbox was available. I might try it for awhile but that doesn't seem to be solved.

krudl3rx

Still no way to just add a gmail account without the cruft? Google hates people that have more than one gmail address apparently. Sigh. Time to move more emails addresses over to Mailbox I guess.

Doughboy

Can you actually attach a file from your phone now? I have an s3 and I never could attach a file from my downloads folder for instance, or any useful folder other than Drive... I have always had to use the stock email client to compose(and attach files from my phone) and to read messages without conversation mode forced on me. I use the Gmail app as a tool because of it's incredible search properties. Is this not a problem for anyone else, is it that a normal app cannot access my device storage? I am not nearly as techie as all you guys, I'm a carpenter! Any explanation is greatly appreciated.

Today's the day my mail gets featured in an AP article. :) :P
Why is the same mail showing two different avatars though? Time stamping format is also different in both.

I hate the new "pull to refresh" animation. The pull distance is very short now. The cards get pulled down very easily. They should provide more resistance. Plus, once I've pulled down enough, the cards automatically go back up, as if it slipped out of my thumb and refresh triggers. No. Wait till I lift my thumb.

Marco Mattietto

Now I expect Drive (and Docs and Sheets) to get to same UI changes.. Those "radio buttons" are awful

Jonathan

Please tell me you guys are working on another Android Isn't Perfect because the fact that Gmail, Drive, Keep, and YouTube all have a totally different profile switcher is killing me and Google needs to change that.

Nammy Hang Kirat

And i like Play Store profile switcher most. :)

Carlos

I have a problem. some mails (normally 'humble bundle' type of mailings) appear stretched on gmail app. I have to go to 'menu/show original size' to see it properly. Is this a known bug? anyone has noticed? I can't find an option to change it's behaviour...

Marcell Lévai

The same happens to me. I don't know why. A few weeks back, it worked properly.

abobobilly

When will they fix hangouts :(

Google! Why you so lazy these days!?

Oliver Bastholm

"Previously, if a user received a message with an inline image, long press icons were limited to "help," and "send feedback," but now users can view the image by itself, rather than inside the message pane."

So we can't get help or send feedback now? Oh why?! ;)

Damian

No push notifications, still using battery draining syncing.

Adrien Assadian

I use Nova Launcher and it tries to open the APK as a configuration save, do you know how i can install it ?

Nammy Hang Kirat

first you should "clear defaults" from settings>apps>nova launcher

Adrien Assadian

tried that, didn't work : )
But thanks !

Ken Hunter

It's probably nothing, but why is it saying it is going to replace my Nova launcher desktop layout when I try to install this?

Chahk Noir

HOW many important emails?!

siddude11

Hey guys whenever i try it install it, it just gets installed right away. :(

Bence Zagyi

I think the Google+ app is has been updated my play store says last updated may 20 but i cant see the new version now.

karthik nayak

Doesn't all the uncleared notifications bother you ?

RickMLA

OK great, image attachments download with a thumbnail and a progress bar, just like they used to before Google broke it a couple versions ago.

BUT... I just received an email from someone with no subject. I replied, and my reply did not show up in the conversation. It's in sent items, all by itself, but it's not connected to the original message that I was replying to. I sent myself a subject-less email to test, and my reply did the same thing.

Can anyone else confirm this?

Reddy

Gmail says it is been updated on May 19th in play store but no update available...